South Carolina Picks Presidents

By Lee Bandy
SouthCarolina Insider

(3/6/08) Once again South Carolina Republicans have had a major say in the selection of the party’s presidential nominee.

This time it’s John McCain.

It has been happening since 1980, the year Ronald Reagan sought the coveted prize. He defeated a crowded field that included former Texas Gov. John Connally, then U.S. Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker, and then ambassador and former Republican National Committee Chairman George Herbert Walker Bush.

Reagan won handily and went on to be elected president, defeating incumbent Democratic president Jimmy Carter.

The state GOP, under the leadership of chairman Dan Ross of Blackville back then, proposed a first-in-the-South presidential primary. It would be a stand a lone Saturday primary to be held two days before Super Tuesday. The purpose of the primary was to put South Carolina’s all-important contest on the map.

The winner would benefit by capturing the front page headlines of the Sunday newspapers and lead stories on the television weekend network newscasts.

The victor would have “big mo” heading into Super Tuesday.

Since then, S.C. Republicans have made certain its contest remained first-in-the-South. The state party, which has the authority to set the primary date, has freely moved the dates to keep other Southern states from leap frogging over South Carolina. Florida tried several times this past year but failed in its effort to be first.

No Republican presidential candidate has ever won the party’s nomination without first carrying South Carolina.

The latest example is McCain who capped a spectacular political comeback with a four-state sweep that clinchéd the Republician presidential nomination.

State GOP Chairman Katon Dawson pledged his full support and that of the state GOP to McCain.

“McCain is a common sense conservative who believes in winning the war on terror, growing the economy and protecting the traditional values we hold dear,” Dawson said. “His leadership at the top of the Republican ticket will be a tremendous benefit to our strong slate in November.

“John McCain’s historic win reaffirms what South Carolina Republicans have known for 28 years.

“We pick presidents.”